1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to caps for beverage cans and similar containers. More particularly, the present invention provides a reusable cap which may be used to contain and preserve the unserved portion of the contents in a container.
2. Description of Prior Art
As is well known, carbonated beverages such as beer and soda are regularly dispensed in fliptop cans made from aluminum and/or similar materials. Access to the container is achieved by a top adapted to be punctured by a tab affixed to the top. Sometimes, only part of the contents are served at one time and it is desirable to preserve the remaining contents in the can. Unfortunately, conventional cans provide no mechanism to close the opening once it is established. Accordingly, open cans are prone to a variety of problems, including loss of carbonation, spillage, and access by insects or debris.
As a result of these deficiencies, a number of various caps have been proposed to contain and/or preserve the contents of a beverage can. Although some of these existing caps may function adequately well for certain limited purposes, none is believed to be fully satisfactory.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,964 to Heath provides a cap to be installed at the factory prior to distribution for the purpose of maintaining the drinking area of the can in a sanitary condition prior to consumption by the consumer. While this cap may be used to recover an opened beverage can to save the remaining contents for future consumption, it makes no provision for a hermetic seal required to maintain the beverage in its original form.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,527,375 to Klein discloses a container cap for temporary preservation of the unserved contents in an opened can. While this cap provides some means to prevent the escape of gas, it is considered inadequate for anything but short-term storage. Additionally, this patent employs a substantial dead-air space which, when used with its proposed resilient material, allows for deformation of the cap by the buildup of internal pressure on the inside of the can. The presence of dead-air space also leaves open the prospect of inadequate liquid containment and spillage upon removal of the cap.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,123,558 to Moloney and 5,125,525 to Tucker, also disclose caps for beverage containers. Moloney discusses a combination cap and coaster and Tucker discloses a cap with a hinged lid to prevent contamination of the contents from airborne debris or insects. While both of these caps may function adequately well for their stated purposes, neither effectuates an airtight seal to prevent the escape of gas. Thus, the unused contents may only be preserved for a short time before becoming "flat."
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage can cap which is capable of forming a substantially hermetic seal, without any dead air space between the cap and the can, to maximize preservation of the can contents and minimize the possibility of inadvertent spillage.
It is an another object of the present invention to provide a beverage cap which is easy to install and maintain in sealing contact with the beverage can, and is also easy to remove.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a beverage cap which is attractive and provides a sufficiently large outside surface area for use with promotion or advertising.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a beverage can cap which is both simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and may be constructed from materials suitable for washing and reuse.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the consideration of the following description and drawings.